FAQs

We have all new pet parents complete our New Client Registration + Intake Questionnaire, so that we can learn a bit more about you and your pup. The information that you provide, helps to ensure that we match your dog with a suitable service for their unique needs.  

We will then set up a virtual or in person consult, where you will meet with one of our amazing team members & go over all of the details!

Ready to get started? Fill out the questionnaire here and we will be in touch as soon as pawsible!

It is just as important to as, as it is to you that your best friend feels safe, comfortable, and enjoys using our services! When working with a new dog, we will always begin by setting up a trial walk or two, to ensure that our services are a great fit for their individual needs.

Communication is key. At Van Island Pups, we are firm believers that maintaining an honest and open line of communication with our clients is an essential part of allowing us to learn, evolve, and improve the value of our services.. so we can be THE BEST for your BEST FRIEND!

Our preferred method of communication is through our Client Portal. Once your profile is set up, you will be able to conveniently request or cancel services, communicate with your walker, view up tp date invoices, and much more! We recommend downloading the Client App in the Apple App Store or from the Google Play Store for the best mobile experience.

We will email you an activation link to your custom account in our Client Portal after our initial consult! Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions throughout the sign up process.

We strive to provide the kind of service that leaves you thrilled, happy, overly satisfied, and WOW’d in every way possible! You can read our recent reviews from happy clients on Google, and Facebook.

By definition, enrichment “makes something more meaningful, substantial or rewarding. Enrichment improves something”. The purpose of canine enrichment is to improve a dogs life by providing them with the mental, physical, social and sensory stimulation that they need in order to achieve their optimal well-being. We accomplish this by providing them with regular opportunities to explore new environments, think, socialize, learn new things, have fun, and problem-solve.

Enrichment is an essential component in providing an excellent quality of life for your dog, and it has been proven to positively impact their health and emotional well-being. Dogs who receive daily enrichment are happier, more relaxed, less bored (or destructive).. and their overall behaviour improves!

On the flip side, if dogs are not receiving adequate enrichment in their daily routines, you may encounter problems such as:

• Hyperactivity (a constant state of movement, the dog will engage in behaviour that would get them into “trouble” but is ultimately self rewarding)

• Barking/ Digging (your dog may bark at distant noises, passerby, howl, tear up the yard)

• Destructive behaviours (getting into the garbage, chewing up your shoes, ripping up the couch)

• Anxious/ neurotic behaviours (overly interested or focused on a specific thing, repetitive behaviours)

• Antisocial behaviours (lunging on leash, barking at the window)

• Excessive grooming habits due to boredom, stress & depression

• Weight gain

• Increased risk of developing health problems (cancer, diabetes, dermatological issues.. etc.)

Exercising your dog every day is a key component in ensuring the ongoing health and wellness throughout their life. Apart from the obvious improvements to their physical health, exercise also provides your dog with many psychological benefits from having the opportunity to explore the environment and encounter new sights, sounds and smells. We’re here to help you fulfill those needs, reach out to Get Started Today!

Safety is our number one priority, and all dogs participating in our group walks are tested for social compatibility and matched with suitable pals to hike with. All of our clients must be up-to-date with their current vaccinations including Bordetella (kennel cough). All walks, daycare, or overnight stays are subject to the dog being free of illness or injury, and we possess the right to cancel services for any dog showing signs of communicable illness.

Absolutely!

We hold a commercial dog walking license for all of the Capital Regional District (CRD) parks that we hike at, and we are bonded & insured through Pro Fur.

We service downtown Victoria, Rockland, James Bay, Oak Bay, Fairfield, Sannich, & Saanichton.

To qualify for our group hikes, your dog must:

• Hold a valid 2022 city license, and have it attached to a properly fitted flat collar, martingale collar or harness.

• Dogs must be up to date on their vaccinations for Distemper, Parvovirus, Rabies, and Bortedella (Titer tests showing proof of protection are also accepted).

• Exhibit positive social behaviours with people and other dogs.

• Have a reliable recall due to the off-leash nature of our group hikes.

All dogs must exhibit positive social behaviours with other dogs and people in order to join our group walks. To ensure the safety of the public, our team members, and the other dogs in the group, we are unable to accommodate dogs with aggressive tendencies. Aggressive tendencies may include, but are not limited to: aggression towards people, dogs, other animals and resource guarding.

Depending on the severity of your dogs reactivity, and the management tactics that you have put in place, we may be able to accommodate them on our private walks! Please let us know a little bit about your dogs current behavior and training methods that have been implemented when inquiring.

Puppies under 8 months old that are unspayed or unneutered can join our group adventures, if there are plans in place to spay/ neuter by the time they are 12 months old. With this being said, all dogs will be assessed on a case-by-case basis regarding their suitability for the group environment. We will always ensure that we never have both an unspayed female and an unneutered male join in the same walking group. Females that are in heat will not be able to join our group adventures, however when that time comes we can typically substitute their pack walks with some solo walks!

Adventure hikes: we can accommodate a maximum of 8 dogs per ”pack leader” on our group walks!

Neighborhood walks: on our small group neighborhood walks, we will have a maximum of 4 dogs per walker.

Solo walks: on our private walks, your dog will be joining their walker 1-on-1.

Van Island Pups strives to maintain a consistent, positive and safe group dynamic for all of the dogs in our care. Our groups are built based on each dog’s size, personality, temperament and energy level. Before allowing new dogs to join in on our pack walks, we will always conduct an initial consultation, followed by a trial walk where we evaluate their behavior to ensure compatibility within the group environment. All dogs joining our group adventures must exhibit positive social behavior towards other dogs.

This is something that we will discuss prior to your dog joining us. Our goal is to hike the dogs in our group walks off leash, however to ensure their safety we will only do so if they meet our criteria to be off-leash (reliable recall around dogs, other humans, wildlife).

Criteria for a dog to be let off-leash on our walks include:

• Permission from the dog's owner

• A reliable recall around various distractions

• Having gone on enough walks with their assigned walker to build a positive and trusting relationship.

Please note, we have a limited number of available slots for dogs that need to remain on-leash on our group walks, and we reserve the right to utilize our own discretion to keep your dog on-leash at any time for safety reasons.

Our solo & small group walks take place in designated dog friendly green-spaces and local parks around your neighborhood.

For our pack hikes, your dog will be whisked away to a designated off leash park of our choice. Whether it’s a trail, beach or forested area, your pup will have a blast on their group adventure! We hold a valid commercial dog walking permit which allows each of our hikers to walk in CRD parks (some of our favorites are Francis King, Mount Work, Bear Hill, and Lone Tree), we also lease 3 private properties that are solely for our use to conduct group hikes.

The specific area that your dog will be walked is dependent on your location, and the type of walking service that you select.

Most of our clients provide us with a key, or a door code to allow for seamless drop offs and pick ups. If you’d prefer to make alternative arrangements for home access, we are happy to discuss this during our complimentary meet-and-greet.

Rain or shine, we walk, run and play!

In cases of EXTREMELY unpleasant weather conditions, we will monitor your dogs comfort-level and may need to shorten our walks accordingly.

​If we need to cancel a walk due to extreme weather conditions (thankfully this doesn’t happen too often on the island), you will be notified of the cancellation by no later than 7am on the day of. We will always offer a mid day “potty break” in the event we need to cancel your dogs walk due to weather so you aren’t left in a bind.

​As pawrents you know your dogs best, and we leave it up to you to decide if the weather forecast looks suitable for your dog (some dogs loathe rain, others have a low tolerance to heat, etc.). If you need to cancel a walk due to weather conditions or for any other reason, please give us no less than 24 hours notice. A cancellation fee of $30 will apply for walks that have been cancelled with less than 24 hours notice. Your advance notice is greatly appreciated as it will allow another dog the opportunity to access the available spot.

Please be aware that we have a 24-hour cancellation policy for all scheduled walks and adventure hikes. Cancellations made outside this window will incur a fee equal to the full cost of the service. Your advance notice is greatly appreciated, as it allows another dog the opportunity to benefit from the available slot.

If you need to change or cancel a scheduled drop-in visit, please refer to our cancellation policy:

• 100% Refundable: Cancellation requests made 15 days prior to the start of a booking.

• 50% Refundable: Cancellation requests made more than 7 days prior to the start of a booking.

• Non-Refundable: Cancellation requests made less than 7 days prior to the start of a booking.

Please review our cancellation policy for any changes or cancellations of scheduled overnight stays:

• 100% Refundable: Cancellation requests made 15 days prior to the start of a stay.

• 50% Refundable: Cancellation requests made more than 7 days prior to the start of a stay.

• Non-Refundable: Cancellation requests made less than 7 days prior to the start of a stay.